A photo of a man in Skegness allegedly taking teeth from one of the deceased whales was just the tip of the iceberg.

No dignity offered even after death!
Who is this man cutting out the teeth of the #Whale in #Skegness ? https://t.co/4o0LVhoXX2

— Miranda (@Miranda4Animals)

In response to the controversial photo, local officials have warned future onlookers against taking "trophies" from the beached whales, which is an illegal act, ITV reported. The man shown in the photo above was contacted by the police and claims he did not take anything from the whale.

In addition to the alleged looting, people are also taking photos with the dead whales and tagging their bodies with graffiti.

And here's one of me with a dead whale https://t.co/xJ6yuqdOMB

— Gerard Tubb (@TubbSky)

Must have a seriously sad life if you feel the need to take a selfie with a dead whale. Well done you. #whaledeaths https://t.co/QWE937RD3z

— Chris Dunn (@MyMovieReels)

These beachings are the "worst sperm whale stranding off the English coast since records began in 1913," according to the Guardian. The first whale appeared on a beach in Hunstanton on Friday. Three other whales followed shortly after on Sunday, appearing on a beach in Skegness. The fifth whale beached himself in Wainfleet on Monday, Sky News reported. They're all believed to be members of the same pod.

It's a global phenomenon that keeps on happening - whales have also recently washed ashore on beaches in Germany and the Netherlands. "The cause of mass strandings in pilot whales remains one of the great mysteries in the social behavior of whales and dolphins," C. Scott Baker, associate director of the Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University, told The Dodo in a previous story about a recent, massive beaching of whales in India.

"Although strandings of some species, such as beaked whales, are now known to be the result of human disturbance, such as navy sonar or seismic surveys, the mass strandings of pilot whales seems to be a natural phenomenon that results from their strong social bonds," he added.

That means, he said, that the whales may be intentionally beaching themselves: "The close social bonds presumably result in a kind of 'herd panic' or 'herd cohesion,' bringing the entire social group (the pod) into the shallow waters and at risk of stranding." Climate change, which can affect the locations of whale food sources, may also cause whales to travel farther than is typical and, therefore, into more shallow waters.

Graffiti on the whales, however, seems to blame humans for the beachings.